Applications of Reaction RateKevin CunninghamThis article presents an assignment in which students are to research and report on a chemical reaction whose increased or decreased rate is of practical importance. The assignment is designed to develop and assess a number of valuable skills and understandings, including the ability to write effectively.Cunningham, Kevin. J. Chem. Educ.2007, 84, 430.

Textbook Deficiencies: Ambiguities in Chemical Kinetics Rates and Rate ConstantsKeith T. Quisenberry and Joel TellinghuisenRecommends that textbook authors make it clear that (i) the reaction rate and rate constant cannot be defined unambiguously without explicitly stating the reaction for which they apply and therefore (ii) the relation between the half-life, which is a physical property of the reaction system, and the rate constant depends upon how the reaction is written.Quisenberry, Keith T.; Tellinghuisen, Joel. J. Chem. Educ.2006, 83, 510.

Kinetics |

Rate Law

Kinetics of Alcohol Dehydrogenase-Catalyzed Oxidation of Ethanol Followed by Visible SpectroscopyKestutis Bendinskas, Christopher DiJiacomo, Allison Krill, and Ed VitzA two-week biochemistry experiment was introduced in the second-semester general chemistry laboratory to study the oxidation of ethanol in vitro in the presence of the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). This reaction should pique student interest because the same reaction also occurs in human bodies when alcoholic drinks are consumed. Procedures were developed to follow the biochemical reaction by visible spectroscopy and to avoid specialized equipment. The effect of substrate concentration on the rate of this enzymatic reaction was investigated during the first week. The effects of temperature, pH, the specificity of the enzyme to several substrates, and the enzyme's inhibition by heavy metals were explored during the second week. Bendinskas, Kestutis; DiJiacomo, Christopher; Krill, Allison; Vitz, Ed. J. Chem. Educ.2005, 82, 1068.

A Simple, Inexpensive Water-Jacketed Cuvette for the Spectronic 20Jonathan E. Thompson and Jason TingA simple, inexpensive, water-jacketed cuvette for the Spectronic 20 is described. The cuvette and associated flow system can easily be constructed from materials commonly found in an undergraduate chemistry laboratory. As a demonstration of the cuvette's utility, we used the cuvette for the determination of the activation energy for the reaction between crystal violet and hydroxide ion. However, the cuvette may prove useful in a variety of applications in which a sample must be thermostated within a spectrophotometer. Thompson, Jonathan E.; Ting, Jason. J. Chem. Educ.2004, 81, 1341.

Factors Affecting Reaction Kinetics of Glucose OxidaseKristin A. JohnsonDemonstration based on a biochemical kinetics experiment in which the rate of reaction varies with the enzyme concentration, substrate concentration, substrate used in the reaction, and temperature. Johnson, Kristin A. J. Chem. Educ.2002, 79, 74.

Every Year Begins a MillenniumJerry A. BellThis article outlines a series of demonstrations and their contexts, leading to recommendations about what we teach and how we teach.Bell, Jerry A. J. Chem. Educ.2000, 77, 1098.

Acids / Bases |

Aqueous Solution Chemistry |

Equilibrium |

Kinetics |

Learning Theories

Old Rule of Thumb and the Arrhenius EquationI. A. LeensonThe empirical rule (doubling of the reaction rate upon every 10 increase in temperature) is discussed on the basis of the Arrhenius equation and experimental data. A graph is plotted that shows the applicability limits of the empirical rule in terms of activation energies and temperatures. Leenson, Ilya A. J. Chem. Educ.1999, 76, 1459.

Kinetics

A New Twist on the Iodine Clock Reaction: Determining the Order of a ReactionXavier Creary and Karen M. MorrisThe iodine clock reaction can be used to illustrate the kinetic order of a reaction, and an overhead projector demonstration was developed three years ago for general chemistry classes at the University of Notre Dame showing this concept. Creary, Xavier; Morris, Karen M. J. Chem. Educ.1999, 76, 530.

A Simple Method To Demonstrate the Enzymatic Production of Hydrogen from SugarNatalie Hershlag, Ian Hurley, and Jonathan WoodwardIn the experimental protocol described here, it has been demonstrated that the common sugar glucose can be used to produce hydrogen using two enzymes, glucose dehydrogenase and hydrogenase. No sophisticated or expensive hydrogen detection equipment is required-only a redox dye, benzyl viologen, which turns purple when it is reduced. The color can be detected by a simple colorimeter. Hershlag, Natalie; Hurley, Ian; Woodward, Jonathan. J. Chem. Educ.1998, 75, 1270.

Enzymes |

Kinetics |

UV-Vis Spectroscopy |

Carbohydrates |

Applications of Chemistry

Chemistry Time: Factors Affecting the Rate of a Chemical ReactionThis activity can be used to introduce a unit on chemical kinetics, but it is simple enough to be used in a discussion of chemical reactions or experimental methods/procedures during the first weeks of the semester. The activity involves reacting bicarbonate with acid, a reaction with practical applications in everyday life.J. Chem. Educ.1998, 75, 1120A.

Kinetics |

Rate Law

Ernest Rutherford, Avogadro's Number, and Chemical KineticsI. A. LeensonThe paper presents a way for students to use data from Rutherford's works (1908 - 1911) in order to determine one of the most precise values of Avogadro Constant available at the beginning of the century. Leenson, I. A. J. Chem. Educ.1998, 75, 998.

Analysis of kinetic data with a spreadsheet programHenderson, JohnAn article about spreadsheet templates that accept concentration versus time data for several runs of an experiment, determination of least-squares lines through data points for each run, and will allow the user to exclude points from the least-squares calculation.Henderson, John J. Chem. Educ.1988, 65, A150.

Change in concentration with timeUmland, Jean B.Shows how the rate of a reaction is fast at first and then gradually decreases to zero when one reactant has been used up.Umland, Jean B. J. Chem. Educ.1985, 62, 153.

Computer simulation of elementary chemical kinetics Nase, Martha L.; Seidman, Kurt44. Bits and pieces, 16. The authors have developed several computer programs that simulate chemical kinetics for elementary first and second order processes. These programs can be used to generate kinetic data that can then be analyzed by the student in a variety of ways.Nase, Martha L.; Seidman, Kurt J. Chem. Educ.1983, 60, 734.

What is the rate-limiting step of a multistep reaction?Murdoch, Joseph R.The purpose of this paper is to point out the circumstances where analogies can be used successfully and to develop a generalization which can be used for all reactions, including those with polymolecular steps.Murdoch, Joseph R. J. Chem. Educ.1981, 58, 32.

A study of the physical and chemical rates of CaCO3 dissolution in HClBassow, Herbert; Hamilton, Doug; Schneeberg, Ben; Stad, BenThe authors describe the experimental procedure and a discussion of results for a study of the physical and chemical rates of CaCO3 dissolution in HCl.Bassow, Herbert; Hamilton, Doug; Schneeberg, Ben; Stad, Ben J. Chem. Educ.1971, 48, 327.

Acids / Bases |

Kinetics |

Reactions |

Rate Law

MiscellaneousAlyea, Hubert N.These twelve overhead projection demonstrations include rates of reactions, clock reactions, the effect of temperature and the presence of a catalyst on the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, the relationship between viscosity and temperature, equilibria, solubility product, and the common ion effect.Alyea, Hubert N. J. Chem. Educ.1970, 47, A437.

Probabilistic derivation of the kinetic rate equationsLee, Tieh-Sheng; Kuffner, Roy J.The use of the probabilistic approach is readily applicable to reaction kinetics if one considers the probability of the survival of the reactant molecule instead of the survival of a radioactive nucleus.Lee, Tieh-Sheng; Kuffner, Roy J. J. Chem. Educ.1968, 45, 430.

Kinetics

From stoichiometry and rate law to mechanismEdwards, John O.; Greene, Edward F.; Ross, JohnExamines the rules used by chemists as guidelines in developing mechanisms from stoichiometric and rate law observations. Edwards, John O.; Greene, Edward F.; Ross, John J. Chem. Educ.1968, 45, 381.

Stoichiometry |

Rate Law |

Kinetics |

Mechanisms of Reactions |

Equilibrium |

Reactive Intermediates

The revolution in elementary kinetics and freshman chemistryWolfgang, RichardNew developments in kinetics so fundamentally affect our most elementary conception of chemical change that they must inevitably be reflected in beginning courses in chemistry; includes an outline for freshmen on elementary chemical dynamics.Wolfgang, Richard J. Chem. Educ.1968, 45, 359.

A kinetic analogyLemlich, RobertThis analogy, which clearly demonstrates the principles involved in a first-order reaction, is based on Poiseuille's law for the viscous flow of fluids.Lemlich, Robert J. Chem. Educ.1954, 31, 431.